Cinema Retro has received the following press release that will be of interest to all Disney fans:

(November 1, 2009) Disney Theme Park Merchandise releases in November, the second in a series of DVDs highlighting the creation and enhancement of the Disney Theme Parks and Attractions as told from the perspective of the Walt Disney’s Imagineers. The DVD will be available for sale throughout the Disney Parks in California and Florida .

The DVD, “Imagineering the Magic-Magic Kingdom”, hosted by Imagineer Diego Parras, details through historical and rare film footage, the inspiration for the creation of Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida and the early beginnings of the Magic Kingdom theme park.

The DVD focuses on the Walt Disney’s efforts to build on the success of Disneyland in Anaheim , California and to take that creativity and experience eastward . The challenges of building in Florida ’s swamplands and the high expectations of the guests for a world bigger and better are told from personal recollections by Walt Disney Ambassador and Chief Imagineer, Marty Sklar.

Among the many notables joining Marty for these development stories and Imagineer recollections include Tom Fitzgerald, Tony Baxter, Kathy Rogers, Eric Jacobson and Kevin Rafferty.

“Our Imagineering the Magic-Disneyland DVD has been one of most successful park DVDs,” commented Betsy Singer, Product Developer for Disney Theme Park Merchandise. “Our guests enjoy the behind the magic stories and inspiration that the Imagineers bring to these videos and we hope they will enjoy Imagineering the Magic of Magic Kingdom as much as they have our first DVD”.

“This DVD shows the incredible team of men and women Walt Disney brought around him to create experiences and attractions that entertain and bring families together.”

 “Imagineering the Magic-Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World® Resort” can also be ordered from Disney Theme Park Merchandise mail order at  407-363-6200  407-363-6200 . The "Imagineering the Magic" DVD series was created by Richard Skillman of richsmedia.com   and co-produced by Richard with Cameron Roberts ,Greg Jones and Mark Rhodes of D7, a Disney production partner.  

By Lee Pfeiffer

We long ago gave up on seeing dynamic artwork on most DVD releases from major studios. Before you blame the studios, however, keep in mind that one studio executive told me in confidence that the sleeve designs are basically dictated by the buyers at Wal-Mart, who believe consumers can only relate to very simple, basic graphics. Thus, most major releases feature horrid scanned-in head shots of the movie's stars...often super-imposed on other actor's bodies. (See some of the James Bond releases). Once in a while, a studio will actually use original poster graphics on older, catalog titles and independent labels generally have visually creative sleeves for DVDs. However, the low point has to be the new DVD release of Paramount's Star Trek film. Director J.J. Abram's has not only reinvigorated the flaccid series, but enthused people like myself who were not major fans of the original films. However, the DVD sleeve is a boring, graphic-free piece of work that simply spells out the name of the title and doesn't convey a bit of the film's excitement or the acclaimed cast members. Granted, Star Trek doesn't need traditional marketing to make it succeed, but it would have been nice if someone in the home video department had put more than two minutes thought into the packaging of such a prestigious release. Come on, guys, you can do better...On the up side, the Blu-ray release promises to be a 3-DVD doozy. Click here to order from Amazon.

The cut-throat competition between Wal-Mart, Amazon, Target and other major on-line retailers has resulted in cut-throat pricing reductions pertaining to pre-orders of DVDs slated for holiday release. Many major titles including the new Star Trek film can be ordered for as little as $10. However, the deals are only good until the titles "street" (i.e, actually hit store shelves.) Studios are generally not happy about these tactics, fearing they reduce the inherent value of DVDs to the general public. For more click here

At the prompting of a group that protests marketing campaigns designed to get infants weened on watching TV, Disney has admitted that its hugely popular line of Baby Einstein DVDs are virtually worthless as educational tools. The company had promoted the line as being relevant to stimulating baby's intellectual capabilities. In fact, there is evidence to suggest the opposite: getting infants hooked on watching TV can actually cause learning problems. Disney is now offering refunds to consumers who want to return the DVDs. This can prove to be a costly program: it's estimated that one third of American families with babies have at least one of the videos.  For more click here

Writer William Bradley provides an in-depth and fascinating analysis of Roman Polanski's Chinatown to mark the film's 35th anniversary. Bradley makes a poignant case as to why it's his favorite movie- and illustrates the points through extensive film clips. He also uses the film to put Roman Polanski's life and woes into perspective. To read click here

Click here to order the new anniversary edition DVD from Amazon

The web site TV Shows on DVD announced that Image Entertainment will release the classic TV series Thriller as a deluxe boxed set of DVDs next year. The acclaimed series was hosted by the great Boris Karloff and was favorably compared to The Twilight Zone. The set will include many extras and represents the first time the show has had a professional release on home video. Among the young up-and-coming stars featured in the series: Richard Chamberlain, Mary Tyler Moore, Rip Torn and Robert Vaughn.  For a synopsis of the episodes, visit the web site the Last Drive-In by clicking here. For more on the DVDs click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

I had long wanted to see director Samuel Fuller's 1961 low-budget film noir Underground U.S.A. ever since its star, Cliff Robertson, extolled its virtues to me. Now the movie has finally come to DVD as part of an outstanding new boxed set dedicated to the maverick filmmaker, the seven disc Samuel Fuller Collection. Underground U.S.A. represents the style that has defined Fuller's work: no nonsense, fast-moving and featuring believable characters and dialogue. There isn't a wasted frame of film. Robertson stars as a small time crook from the inner city who witnessed the beating death of his father at the hands of locals thugs when he was a teenager. Years later, after doing a stint in jail for safe-cracking, Robertson makes it his life's mission to track down his father's murderers and extract his revenge. He learns that these goons are now prominent figures in a national crime syndicate. He concocts a scheme to infiltrate the syndicate and gain their trust before dishing out his violent vision of justice.The film largely consists of studio interiors, which gives the story a claustrophobic feel that was probably exactly what Fuller had hoped to achieve. Robertson is particularly good, playing against type in the kind of role Robert De Niro would play in Martin Scorsese's films years later. He's given able support by ultra sexy Dolores Dorn (who should have been a much bigger star) as a streetwalker marked for death by the mob; Beatrice Kay as a lovable old maid/saloon keeper and noted character actors Robert Emhardt and Larry Gates - neither of whom ever received enough recognition for their consistently fine work in the cinema.An excellent and thoroughly engrossing film on every level.

By Raymond Benson

Directed by Costa-Gavras, Z was a landmark thriller from 1969, a political film that pointed to the kinds of pictures Oliver Stone would make two decades later. It was the first film to be nominated for both Best Picture and Best Foreign Film the same year (it won the Oscar for the latter, as well as for its innovative, dynamic editing). The mostly French production was filmed in Algeria, doubling as Greece—which at the time would never have allowed the crew to film there.

Based on true events that occurred in Greece in the early 60s, the story concerns the government-backed assassination of a pacifist political candidate (played by Yves Montand) and the subsequent investigation (led by charismatic Jean-Louis Trintignant) that eventually brought down the chief of police, head of security, and other government officials. The location is never named in the film and it really doesn’t matter. Z is about the corruption of a military regime in any country, and the film was yet another call for peace, justice, and the end to wars. The movie struck a chord, was a box-office hit, and a critical darling. It didn’t hurt that it was a nail-biter—a truly suspenseful and riveting investigative-procedural drama—superbly directed and photographed on a remarkably low budget. 

The folks at Criterion do their usual excellent job with this release—the remastered transfer is especially clear and gorgeous, and the sound mix is perfect. Extras include an enlightening contemporary interview with Costa-Gavras about the background and making of the film, and vintage documentaries about the true crime and the movie’s production. Kudos all around.

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CNN has a helpful video segment that gives some surprisingly simple ways to repair damaged DVDs. Some techniques involve using toothpaste and Vaseline (and you thought that combo only existed in your romantic fantasies!). Click here to view

Warner Home Video will release John Wayne's The Green Berets as a Blu-ray DVD on January 5, 2010. The release will include the original trailer and vintage production featurette. Given the controversies that persist about the movie, it's a bit frustrating that there won't be any new special features covering the film's legacy. Wayne stirred up a hornet's nest among his political opponents when he released the film in 1968 at the height of the protest movement against the Vietnam War. Wayne wanted to make a statement in support of the U.S. involvement in Vietnam and felt so strongly about the subject that he directed the movie as well as starred in it. (Ray Kellogg directed most of the major action scenes.) The film remains one of only two films the Duke directed, the other being his 1960 epic The Alamo. Upon release, critics called the film sophomoric and said that Wayne had reduced the complexities of the conflict to a comic book level. Indeed, the movie employs every war movie cliche imaginable, but the battle scenes remain highly impressive. Despite the protests that the film caused among anti-war movement, Wayne had the last laugh as the movie was a major financial success. - Lee Pfeiffer

Click here to pre-order on Amazon

By Lee Pfeiffer

One of the most eagerly-awaited DVD releases of the year, Warner Home Video's 50th anniversary Blu-ray edition of Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest lives us to the hype. This is the first Hitchcock film to get the Blu-ray treatment and the remastered transfer from the original MGM VistaVision print makes the characters virtually jump off the screen. The color quality is exceptional and, even if you've seen the film countless times, this will rejuvenate the experience. Hitchcock called the movie the epitome of his work in the American cinema, and for my money it's arguably his best thriller: a timeless, almost flawless masterpiece that finds the perfect balance between suspense and comedy. The film also demonstrates why Cary Grant's talents were always taken for granted: he made outstanding performances look too damned easy.

The terrific, little-seen 1979 thriller The Hard Way has been released on DVD in the UK. The film pits Patrick McGoohan and Lee Van Cleef as hit men playing a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The movie represents a rare pairing of two of the great leading men of the era. For writer Mike Malloy's review click here

To order from Amazon UK click here

Jerry Lewis' 1967 TV variety series will be coming to DVD this fall in a "Best of.." collection. Guest stars include Barbara Feldon of Get Smart!, Don Rickles, Flip Wilson, Joey Heatherton, Lynn Redgrave, Laurence Harvey and Harold Sakata, who plays his famous role as Oddjob in a James Bond sketch. Release date is November 17.

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By Lee Pfeiffer

Warner Home Video continues to astound with its creative releases of classic MGM titles. The much-anticipated Wizard of Oz Blu-ray edition commemorates the film's 70th anniversary and packs a tremendous amount of goodies into a boxed set that will have classic movie lovers agog. In addition to the finest home video version ever released of the beloved 1939 film, the set also contains 16 hours of bonus extras, four of which are new to this release. They include:

• Documentaries about the life of L. Frank Baum and the early origins of Oz
• Early screen adaptations of the book
• An original Baum silent film The Patchwork Girl of Oz
• A documentary about director Victor Fleming
• The TV movie The Dreamer of Oz starring John Ritter as Baum
• The Hollywood Walk of Fame 2007 salute to the Munchkins

If that doesn't get you clicking your ruby slippers, consider the wealth of cool collectibles contained in the box, which weighs in like the Manhattan Yellow Pages:

• A limited edition wristwatch with genuine crystals in commemorative case
• A reproduction of the film's original pressbook, which will be of special interest to Cinema Retro readers as if affords some truly rare insights into the marketing of the film.
• A replica of the original movie budget sheet
• A hardback 52 page book

Even if you are still in Kansas, you'll want to add this release to your collection. Click here to order from Amazon- and save $33! You also get an exclusive Amazon set of 8x10 character stills from the film and free shipping. You can also view a promotional trailer for the set. Click here to order the same set in standard DVD format.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Writer Tom Doctoroff provides a compelling report on the serious problem with the illegal DVD trade in China and why studios are fighting a hopeless battle to control the situation. The first aspect of the problem is the fact that, as with all totalitarian nations, even the "new, improved" China still has draconian limits on what types of information and entertainment people can access. This was far easier to enforce in the pre-Internet age when it was possible to restrict the flow of information. However, despite China's best efforts, the population has been exposed to the tidal wave of technological advances that has swept the world, and in the process has gained even greater access to Western entertainment such as music and movies. The result has been an insatiable appetite on the part of the public for illegal CDs and DVDs. This has had a devastating impact on potential profits in the music and film industries. China has been sanctioned by the World Trade Organization for making half-hearted, anemic attempts at controlling piracy. In fact, the nation relies on the revenues that piracy brings into local economies. Secondly, as Tom Doctoroff points out, this isn't just a matter of the public being able to buy bootlegs for a cheaper price. Under China's autocratic policies, the types of Western movies and music that are all the rage would never be allowed to be sold legally because they are officially considered to be deviant or subversive.

Doctoroff makes the argument that a partial solution would be for the studios to radically reduce prices on legal distribution of videos and music in order to put a dent in the wallets of pirates. If people can buy a pristine, professional version of a movie or song, then they are more likely to pay a modest premium for it. This would benefit non-controversial entertainment but still wouldn't solve the situation pertaining to government censorship. Doctoroff also points out the fact that there  is an inherent benefit to even pirated entertainment: it helps spread Western values to totalitarian nations. This won't mean much to corporate bean-counters, but may ultimately result in important political changes. For the article click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Video Business reports that studios are cutting the prices on Blu-ray DVD releases but retailers are complaining that the prices are still far too high to attract many consumers beyond the die-hard movie fans. With Wal Mart shoving an increasing number of major films of recent vintage into $5 bargain bins, the average consumer simply doesn't see the value of paying up to five times that amount to own the same movie in Blu-ray format -especially when they have to buy a new player as well. Even with recent price decreases, the average Blu-ray release of a new film is $23. Catalog (or vintage) titles average $17 per unit. In challenging economic times like these, studios seem out of touch with consumer needs. Until the recession kicked in, America had the worst personal savings rate in the world: an average of  0% (that's not a joke- Americans spent literally every penny of income they earned). Now, with hard times present, there has been an abrupt turn-around and America's personal savings rate has soared to 7%. While this new emphasis on personal responsibility is encouraging, it means consumers are allocating far fewer dollars for unnecessary expenditures. With jobs hanging by a thread, health care costs soaring and unemployment extensions running out, it doesn't seem like many people just absolutely have to have the latest Eddie Murphy bomb in Blu-ray. For more click here 

Fox's boxed set release of the Planet of the Apes series received the coveted DVD Critics Award in the category of Best Blu-ray release of 2008. The awards are sponsored by Home Media Magazine, one of the leading journals of the home entertainment industry. The boxed set is truly the ultimate tribute to the legendary series and boasts many hours of extras, including rare deleted footage. Cinema Retro publishers Lee Pfeiffer and Dave Worrall wrote the accompanying hard-cover book that is included in the set. It covers the history of each film with candid assessments of how they were received by both critics and the public. The book also features a wealth of never-before-published design sketches, publicity stills and behind the scenes photos. Cinema Retro congratulates our friends at Fox. We are  proud to be part of the team that helped make this long-awaited release a reality.

Click here for Home Media Magazine's original review of the set

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Continue reading for the Home Media list of other winning titles

DVD Specs:
●		Disc One: Rocky
●		Disc Two: Rocky II
●		Disc Three: Rocky III
●		Disc Four: Rocky IV
●		Disc Five: Rocky V
●		Disc Six: Rocky Balboa
●		Disc Seven: Rocky Anthology Bonus Disc
	○	“Feeling Strong Now!” Trivia Game
	○	Three Rounds with Legendary Trainer Lou Duva featurette
	○	Interview with a Legend – Bret Sugar (Author/Commentator and Historian)
	○	“The Opponents”
	○	In The Ring: Three-Part Making-Of Documentary
	○	Steadicam: Then and Now with Garrett Brown

Wal-Mart has issued a recall for over 4 million Durabrand DVD players that were made in China and marketed at the chain for $29. The players have shown a tendency to overheat and burst into flames. Fourteen such instances have been reported, though there have been no injuries. The players were sold at Wal-Mart between January 2006 and July 2009. If you have one of these players, the company advises you to stop using it immediately and to return to your local store for a full refund. For more click here

Cinema Retro London correspondent Mark Mawston recently covered the London tribute to John Landis' classic horror flick An American Werewolf in London. (Click here to read). Mark also got an advance look at the forthcoming documentary Beware the Moon which will be the centerpiece of the forthcoming Blu-ray special DVD edition. He recently sat down with the man behind the project, Paul Davis for an inside look at how he overcame great odds to make his tribute to American Werewolf a reality.

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Mark Mawston: Paul, it's wonderful that something made by a fan for a fan has made it onto such an A list title. Why did you decide to target AWIL? Was it out of love or that fact that you simply thought there was a more comprehensive story to be told?

Paul Davis: An American Werewolf in London was the first monster movie I ever saw. I must've been about 3 years-old when I watched it. I was a big fan of Michael Jackson and had ‘The Making of Thriller’ on video, and through that I learned about Werewolf, John Landis, Rick Baker etc. Because it showed you the ins and outs of creating a film, and more importantly a monster, I was able to grasp at an early age that movies were works of fiction. So from then on I could watch anything and pretty much did. Fast forward some twenty odd years later and I found myself writing a 25th Anniversary retrospective article on the film and it just struck me that, while there are so many documentaries out there for classic horror movies, this had nothing! I spoke to my partner Romy Alford and she agreed to produce it with me, and I then got in touch with an acquaintance who I knew was nifty behind a camera and was also an editor, Anthony Bueno. So that's kind of where it came from. The three of us just went out there and did it.

MM: John Landis said he couldn't believe you'd pursued this without any real backing from him or Universal. Yet, he was so pleased with what you'd compiled he decided to back you and pushed the powers that be. That's a rare thing these days, but do you think it helped that John was such a fan boy himself? 

PD: The great thing about John is that he is incredibly encouraging toward toward young filmmakers to just go out there and make their movies - after all he did the same thing when he was 21 with his first film Schlock. It must have been very weird for him to have this kid from England making a movie about one of his fondest films, and at the same time worrying because while John does nurture new talent, he knew that it was going to be a large task for us to get anywhere with the finished product. The film is owned by Universal and the chances of a non entity making something and being taken seriously by a major motion picture studio, as you said, rarely happens. There's a lot of risk involved and a lot of strenuous legal work to clear before anything can see the light of day. As soon as John knew that we were taking the project very seriously and we had secured interviews with a lot of cast and crew, that's when he really went to bat for us, and it literally would not have seen the light of day were it not for John's bullying of Universal to release it. 

 

By Lee Pfeiffer

Warner Home Video is suing a California-based company called IWMB for not only failing to destroy hundreds of thousands of excess DVD product, but also for secretly selling the titles to third parties at cut-rate prices. The studio says the end result was a flood of DVDs being sold for prices far below market value. Warners is seeking $10 million in damages from the company. In fact, Warners did not hire IWMB to destroy the product - the company was subcontracted by DVD replicator Cinram, which apparently was unaware of the alleged scheme. According to the suit, IWMB provided Cinram with false documentation indicating that the DVDs had been destroyed when, in fact, they had been sold to other parties who retailed them to the public. Warners estimates that at least 750,000 DVDs were illegally sold into the marketplace. The suit does not name the third parties who allegedly bought them. Warners is seeking a jury trial. Home Video Magazine reports that IWMB president Cal Jones, who is personally named in the suit, has not responded to requests for comments. 

By Lee Pfeiffer

Warner Home Video continues to earn the gratitude of movie fans by releasing special editions of films that had limited commercial appeal. The latest example is director Hal Ashby's Lookin' to Get Out, a 1982 comedy that was a notorious box-office disaster - and one that virtually ruined Ashby's career. Like fellow gadfly director Sam Peckinpah, Ashby could be a temperamental personality who prided himself on clashing with studios over issues of artistic integrity. His acclaimed hits include Coming Home, Being There and Shampoo, but -like Peckinpah- he wore out his welcome with his employers and was relegated to filming "by the numbers" movies in return for a paycheck.There has been a renaissance of interest in Ashby's career of late, so hopefully this director's cut of Lookin' to Get Out will find an appreciative audience.

The film stars Jon Voight (who co-wrote the script) as Alex Kovac, a perpetually upbeat but obnoxious compulsive gambler whose insurmountable debts to a local loan shark motivate him to flee to Las Vegas. He is accompanied by his personal Sancho Panza, the dim-witted but loyal Jerry Feldman (Burt Young). In Vegas, Alex reconnects with an old flame, Patti Warner (Ann-Margaret), who finds herself once again smitten by the charismatic loser - even though she is the girlfriend of the multi-millionaire owner of the MGM Grand Casino. Alex concocts an audacious plan to enlist the services of Smitty (Bert Remsen), a once-legendary high stakes gambler now reduced to working as a waiter in the MGM Grand.Alex gets Jerry to impersonate another high roller in order to get an advance on his credit. Using the borrowed $10,000, he plans to have Smitty take the casino to the cleaners through a nerve-wracking game of blackjack. However, the loan shark and his enforcer turn up in hot pursuit - and the plan turns to chaos as Alex and Jerry try to stay alive long enough to win their fortune.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this film. It moves at a brisk pace and makes excellent use of the Vegas locales. It was the first movie allowed to be shot inside the MGM Grand, which boggles the mind since the screenplay calls for the casino to be the setting for con men, cheating, wild chases and gun play. The permission was granted as a personal favor to Burt Young, who called in some chips, so to speak, in order to get the rights to film on location.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Severin Films continues its impressive streak of first class DVD releases of cult movies. The latest is Nightmare Castle, an Italian horror film from 1965 that has achieved a following largely on the basis of its star, original scream queen Barbara Steele. The story is a period piece set in the late 1800s with Steele playing a dual role. As the film opens, we find her as the unfaithful wife of an aristocratic doctor (Paul Muller) who has a penchant for dabbling in bizarre medical experiments. (A note of caution to readers: if you are contemplating having an illicit affair, it's best to reconsider if your spouse is quasi-mad scientist.) When the husband catches on to having been made a cuckold, he tortures his wife and her lover to death - only to find the mansion they inhabited has been inherited by his sister-in-law (also played by Steele). In short order, he woos and marries his wife's sister, who conveniently happens to have been recently released by a mental asylum after suffering from delusions. This sets up an antique version of Gaslight with Muller and Helga Line, who plays his mistress, trying to drive Steele insane so they can inherit the mansion. 

Sony has released a six-DVD boxed set tribute to Jack Lemmon, marking the first-time release of these films in the DVD format. Here is the official press release.

In a career that spanned half a century, Jack Lemmon was truly America’s Everyman. Although he worked in every genre from musical to western, he truly excelled at comedy, turning in a series of nuanced performances that garnered worldwide acclaim. On June 9, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) honors one of the most versatile and accomplished actors in Hollywood history with The Jack Lemmon Film Collection, in partnership with Chris Lemmon, Jack’s son and biographer. This must-have six-disc boxed set features five classic performances from the gifted two-time Academy Award® winner for Save the Tiger (1973) and Mister Roberts (1955). The set includes Phffft! featuring Kim Novak, Operation Mad Ball, featuring the film debut of Ernie Kovacs, The Notorious Landlady featuring Fred Astaire, Under the Yum Yum Tree, and Good Neighbor Sam. In addition, the bonus materials include a two-part documentary hosted by Chris Lemmon featuring intimate interviews with friends, fans, and colleagues, including Kevin Spacey, Andy Garcia and Shirley MacLaine; and photographs from the life and work of Jack Lemmon. The collection also includes the Ford Television Theatre’s “Marriageable Male” episode starring Jack Lemmon. The Jack Lemmon Film Collection will be available for $59.95 SRP.

 

Cinema Retro has just received this press release from Warner Home Video about one of the most prestigious DVD releases of 2009.

Burbank, Calif. June 9, 2009 – It is difficult to imagine a motion picture more magical and more wonderful than Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's wonderful The Wizard of Oz. Over the last seven decades, the film has indelibly woven itself into America’s cultural consciousness: Is there anyone who doesn’t immediately think of the film upon hearing the words, “Dorothy,” “Toto,” “Emerald City,” “Ruby Slippers” and “Yellow Brick Road” -- or the lines to the song “Over the Rainbow?”

Now, the colorful characters and unforgettable songs of Oz come alive as never before when Warner Home Video brings this cinematic treasure into the digital age with the September 29 Blu-ray release of The Wizard of Oz 70^th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition. The commemorative edition contains nearly 4 hours of all-new and never-before-available bonus features and is housed in numbered collectible packaging, and will be available for a limited time only for $69.92 SRP (DVD) and $84.99 SRP (Blu-ray Hi-Def).

In order to bring all the visual splendor of The Wizard of Oz to the Hi-Def world of Blu-ray Disc, the film has been entirely remastered, with each of the original Technicolor camera negatives scanned using 8K resolution. From this scan, a final ‘capture’ master was created in 4K,  yielding twice the resolution seen in the master utilized for the film's previous DVD release.

Working in ‘full film Resolution’, extreme care was taken to ensure that all of the image fidelity contained in the original negatives was properly captured for this new presentation. The sounds of Oz will come alive on Blu-ray disc utilizing the full audio spectrum capabilities available through Dolby TrueHD audio. The net result is one of unprecedented quality that is sure to make The Wizard of Oz 70^th Anniversary Edition a benchmark in the history of the Blu-ray format.

There will also be a dedicated official site for all Oz-related events and products:  www.thewizardofoz.warnerbros.com. 

By Lee Pfeiffer

It certainly isn't unusual for studios to invest money in director's cuts of films that were critical and box-office successes, but in a highly unusual move, Warner Home Video has made it possible for director Hugh Hudson and star Al Pacino to revisit and improve upon one of the most notorious box-office bombs of all time: the 1985 epic Revolution. The film was ravaged by critics and an disinterested public virtually ensured the movie would go down in the annals of Hollywood financial disasters. Yet, like Heaven's Gate, it's a film that is often mocked by people who probably haven't even seen it. I had only viewed it once - when it was first released on VHS. With the widescreen image cropped and the shoddy transfer work that was the rule during those dark days of the pre-DVD era, I was not enamored of the movie- though I felt it had far more qualities than its reputation might indicate. The story centers on Tom Dobb, a poor widower who comes to New York City with his young son Ned to sell his furs. He finds the city in a state of revolutionary fervor, as colonists are on the verge of all-out rebellion against King George. Dobb is apolitical, but soon he and his son are ensnared by the events of the day and are virtually forced to serve in the rapidly-formed colonial army. The plot follows father and son through the early days of the revolution, when independence seemed to be a foolish dream. George Washington's forces lost most of the major battles and the troops starved and froze before the tide of battle turned.

By Lee Pfeiffer

The Warner Archive, which offers a treasure trove of burn-to-order DVDs for consumers, has made available Soldier in the Rain, the 1963 comedy starring the oddball pairing of Steve McQueen and Jackie Gleason as two U.S. Army con men who live the easy life on a military base by swindling virtually everyone they encounter. Gleason is the top sergeant and the brains of the operation, while McQueen, playing against type, is his doofy Gomer Pyle-like right hand man. The two manage to connive their way out of doing any heavy lifting during their work day, and in the evening find ways to seduce impressionable women. The film was not well-reviewed in its day and was considered rather racy, with its abundance of sex jokes. However, I've always found it very enjoyable, even though McQueen is miscast. The centerpiece of the film is really Gleason, who is in top form as the crooked sergeant who knows all the angles. Critics complained about the climax of the film, which suddenly deviates from a comedy to a violent action sequence that still shocks in terms of its brutality. For my money, it's one of the screen's best brawl sequences, rivaling even that great pool room scene in Clint Eastwood's Coogan's Bluff. The film also benefits from a good supporting cast that includes Tony Bill, Tuesday Weld, Tom Poston and Adam West. Click here to order - and check out the latest batch of movies available only through the Warner Archive.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Severin Films is noted for releasing deluxe DVD editions of cult European horror and sexploitation films such as the Emmanuelle movies and the recently-reviewed Sinful Dwarf. Thus, when I received a screener from Severin of their newly released French import The Hairdresser's Husband (Le mari de la coiffeuse), my natural inclination was to assume that this, too, had a tinge of the grotesque to it. However, the first clues that this would not be the kind of film generally appreciated by overweight, middle-aged men who live in their mother's basements was the fact that the DVD sleeve boasted a rave from Roger Ebert and the notation that the 1990 film was nominated for 7 Cesar Awards (the French equivilent of the Oscars) - a legacy that somehow escaped The Sinful Dwarf. I watched the film without even reading the synopsis and was quickly hypnotized by this strange, but fascinating love story. There is nary a murder or ill-tempered dwarf in sight, but you are never certain until the last frame what direction the story might move in. The film centers on Antoine (Jean Rochefort), a rather mundane middle-aged man who lives a relatively non-descript life. He reflects back on his childhood and his first love: the local hairdresser who would cut his hair. She was a plump, buxom woman who served as little Antoine's first sexual obsession. He became obsessed with her breasts and would use every available opportunity to get a haircut- much to his mother's bewilderment. It was from these early encounters that Antoine decided he had but one goal in life: to marry a hairdresser. The story shifts to the recent past, as Antoine recalls how he managed to fulfill his dream by marrying a beautiful, much younger woman who ran a hair salon.  

By Lee Pfeiffer

Even if you've never heard of Jack Taylor, if you've seen a movie since the 1940s, you're familiar with his work. Taylor is - ironically- a tailor. More precisely, he's the probably the most famous tailor in the world, having been a fixture in Beverly Hills for decades. He's the man who started a modest clothing business in New York and wound up being the last word on style when it came to the personal clothing preferences for Hollywood legends ranging from Jackie Gleason to Frank Sinatra, and most notably, Cary Grant - the man who is regarded as the epitome of male glamour. All of these artists entrusted their sartorial matters to Taylor, a cantankerous, out-spoken, quick-witted and no-nonsense perfectionism who rules over his shop like a benign dictator. Most amazingly, he continues to do so even though he's in his 90s. His long-suffering, but adoring major domo is his charming wife Bonnie, who has been his inseparable partner for over 60 years. Jack and Bonnie are the subject of a wonderful documentary titled Jack Taylor of Beverly Hills. It's a first-time movie effort by novice filmmaker Cecile Leroy Beaulieu, an Italian who was raised watching classic Hollywood movies. She fell in love with the sense of style stars once had and while in Beverly Hills with her husband, accompanied him to Jack's store in the naive belief they would have a seersucker suit custom-made. Jack Taylor was appalled by the notion and flat-out refused to comply with their request, despite the fact that the job would have netted him a hefty sum. Beaulieu was so intrigued by this man of principle that she decided to make a documentary about his remarkable career.The result is Jack Taylor of Beverly Hills,which has won acclaim at film festivals and which has now been released on DVD through Indiepix. Considering the fact that it represents Beaulieu's first attempt at making a film, it's a rather remarkable achievement.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Paramount has released a 2 disc special edition of the 1968 comedy classic The Odd Couple as part of the studio's Centennial Collection. The film retains all of its initial appeal, despite the fact that virtually every baby boomer has committed the scenes and dialogue to memory. Although most people regard this as the first historic pairing of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, in fact, that occurred with Billy Wilder's 1965 gem The Fortune Cookie which saw Matthau winning the Oscar for supporting actor. The genius behind the story, of course, is Neil Simon, who adapted his smash hit Broadway play for the film. The part of Felix Unger was originally played on Broadway by the great Art Carney, but Lemmon was a much hotter box-office property and got the role in the feature film. The film is creative in the ways it opens up beyond the confines of a Broadway play, and affords some great views of New York City in the late 1960s. The DVD release boasts a widescreen edition of the film that is glorious to behold. In addition to a commentary track by the star's sons, actor Chris Lemmon and director Charlie Matthau, there is a full disc devoted to extras. Much of this consists primarily of talking head shots of various individuals extolling the virtues of the story as well as Lemmon and Matthau, who were regarded as all-around great guys to work with. Among those interviewed are the film's director Gene Saks, Carole Shelley (who played one of the Pigeon sisters), David Sheiner (who played the poker buddy Roy), actor Brad Garrett and even Larry King, who makes a poignant case for his belief that this is The Great American Comedy. Robert Evans, who ran Paramount during that era, is also interviewed and says that Lemmon's salary of $1 million equaled the cost of the rest of the budget. The extras are broken down into mini featurettes that cover most aspects of the film, but concentrate primarily on the Lemmon/Matthau relationship, as the two were best friends throughout most of their careers. (Almost poetically, they died within a year of each other). The segments in which Chris Lemmon and Charlie Matthau express their adoration of their fathers is quite touching and often amusing.  

By Lee Pfeiffer

"A young bride left alone to the lewd passions of an evil dwarf!" So read the American release ads for the 1973 Danish horror flick The Sinful Dwarf. It was truth in advertising, because if you like your dwarfs sinful, this one wrote the book on such behavior. Variety called the film "repulsive" and that was one of the more complimentary reviews. Universally despised by those who saw it, the movie also sparked an outcry from Little People's organizations. The titular character is played by an actor known only as Torben in the credits. 'Lest you think he might have enjoyed Liberace-like status among the sinful dwarf set that allowed him to use only one name, in reality he was more widely known as Torben Bille, and was primarily employed in Denmark as the host of a children's TV show! In the film, Torben plays Olaf, an ugly, leering little man who runs a tenement-like boarding house with his equally perverted mother, Lila (Clara Keller).They lure pretty young women to take rooms as tenants, then kidnap them, forcibly turn them into heroin addicts and chain them up naked in a hidden attic prison where they are ritually abused by men who are happy to pay Olaf and his mother for the privilege.The story follows a young couple, Ann and Peter (Anne Sparrow and Tony Eades) who are unemployed and who have very reluctantly accepted a room at the house, which is the only lodging they can afford.Both mom and Olaf size up Ann as being worthy of their stable of captive girls, an opinion reinforced when Olaf uses a peephole to spy on Ann and Peter having sex.Ultimately, Ann is knocked unconscious and forced to join her fellow hapless captives, while her disbelieving husband is told she has simply run away.

General Electric has announced a major breakthrough in DVD technology. The new "super disc" that the company is developing is capable of holding up to 500 gigabytes. To put that into perspective, a standard DVD holds 5 gigs and a Blu-ray DVD holds up to 50 gigs. The new technology will not be available commercially for a couple of years, as the company is fine-tuning it. However it is expected to revolutionize the media storage industry. One of the biggest breakthroughs is the ability to store holographic images such as those that provide security measures for credit cards, driver's licenses, etc. An obvious benefit to movie lovers is that it will ultimately lead to "mega movie discs" that can hold the equivalent of 100 feature films. The benefits are immediately apparent - we can look forward to the day when the entire season of My Mother the Car can fit on one disc! For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Warner Home Video has released a widescreen DVD edition of the 1996 adventure film North Star starring James Caan and Christopher Lambert. The film is probably unknown to most audiences, as it was cobbled together by a mind-boggling array of European finance sources and was barely released theatrically in America. However, there is much to recommend in this film and the second chance the DVD release affords it is justified. For all intents and purposes, the story is that of a traditional western - with the caveat that it is set in Nome, Alaska in the late 1800s when gold fever was still a lure for thousands of immigrants. Caan plays a charismatic, but ruthless local power broker who controls all aspects of mining. He's happy to have the immigrants labor to uncover lucrative gold veins, only to pass laws that deprive them of reaping the benefits. If anyone chooses to fight back, they end up dead with Caan mysteriously turning up as the beneficiary of their claim. Caan's tactics please local xenophobes who are happy to send the immigrants packing, but when his greed carries over to trying to snare a local sacred Indian burial site, he comes up against Lambert, who plays a tough-as-nails tribe member who vows to thwart the scheme. Lambert kidnaps Caan's main squeeze (the fetching Catherine McCormack) and a relentless pursuit takes up the majority of the action on screen. 

The film boasts any number of cliches, but that adds to the charm as this is a straight-forward and unpretentious adventure movie, competently directed by Nils Gaup, who takes full advantage of the eye-popping, frigid locations. (The movie was shot entirely in Norway). As usual in these kinds of affairs, the hero serves as a rather bland catalyst for the evil doing committed by a larger-than-life villain. Lambert, who apparently underwent a charisma quadruple bypass early in his career, is still in his familiar "grunt-and groan" mode which was typical of action stars who emerged in the 1980s. Although he compensates for this shortcoming by performing some impressive stuntwork, he's overshadowed at every turn by Caan, who clearly relishes the rare opportunity to portray an outright scoundrel. It's a pity he doesn't get more opportunities to do so, as he provides a fascinating portrait of a true monster whose outward charm hides his inner demons. Catherine McCormack is also impressive as the initially gullible girlfriend who comes to see Caan for the villain he is. There's also an enjoyable supporting performance by Burt Young as a henchman to Caan who is so slovenly he makes Srother Martin's character in The Wild Bunch look like Noel Coward.

This is not a particularly memorable film, but is highly enjoyable - so it if it's unpretentious entertainment you want, this is one North Star you can follow.(The only extra on the DVD is a theatrical trailer)

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If you're like the Cinema Retro staffers, one of the glorious by-products of your misspent youth was the time spent in grungy movie theaters watching trashy sexploitation films. If you're pining away for those days of old, where you had to keep one eye on the screen and the other on the trenchcoat draped across the lap of the guy sitting next to you, your ship has finally come in. The people at Retro Seduction Cinema offers such great DVD titles as Sleaze in the 70s and Swinging in the 70s. (We knew there was something more to that decade than bell bottoms and leisure suits!) To visit the site click here

The Warner Archive, which provides burn-to-order DVDs of movies not available elsewhere, has made available Montgomery Clift's final film, the 1966 spy thriller The Defector. Click here for a preview

A red, white and blue line of classic Minis outside the Soho Hotel, London, March 25, 2009 said one thing: The Self-Preservation Society had returned! It took forty years to get their skates back on but this reunion was a promise of more treats in store for fans of the classic comedy crime caper, The Italian Job. Paramount Pictures presented a pristine digital print of the original 1969 film as a precurser to the launch of the ruby anniversary edition DVD coming June this year.
 

The screening for press and the retail trade was a landmark event: for the first time in four decades, producer Michael Deeley, screenwriter Troy Kennedy Martin and veteran French driving stunt co-ordinator Remy Julienne were back together. The team had also contributed to the new special features on the DVD, a taster of which was previewed before the film. The exciting trailer whetted the gathered appetites of fans of the ultimate Mini adventure by showing glimpses of none other than the original Charlie Croker himself, Sir Michael Caine, legendary composer Quincy Jones and maverick Paramount executive, Robert Evans.  Tara and Shane Collinson, the sons of the film's late director, Peter Collinson and David Salamone, who played Dominic, one of the chinless wonder Mini drivers rounded out the gathering. Also in attendance was the director-writer of the DVD special features, Matthew Field, who produced the new documentaries with The Picture Production Company. Field, a regular contributor to Cinema Retro,  is author of B T Batsford's best-selling The Making Of The Italian Job and the recent Faber & Faber book, Deer Hunters, Blade Runners and Blowing The Bloody Doors Off, Michael Deeley's autobiography.

 
As Soho Hotel's Crimson Room whirred to the sound of Remy Julienne re-creating his famous car stunts on an Italian Job Scalextrix kit (!), attendees were reminded by Paramount Home Entertainment UK Marketing Director, Richard Clarkson that the DVD package, one of the most complete ever produced, will be available on Blu Ray and standard format in the UK from June 15, 2009.
 
(Text and Photos by Ajay Chowdhury, editor Kiss Kiss Bang Bang magazine, www.007.info)
 

UPDATE: In our original posting, we indicated these DVDs could be shipped internationally. This was due to the fact that the Warner Archive site provides information about shipments outside the USA. However, some very fine print has been drawn to our attention that says DVDs can only be shipped to US addresses. Apparently, other merchandise offered on the site, such as clothing and toys, can be shipped to international addresses. 

By Lee Pfeiffer

If you've ever wondered why some of your favorite movies have never been released on home video, the answer might be that studios don't feel certain titles merit the investment to produce a traditional DVD edition. Shelf space in stores is becoming increasingly tight and the cost of manufacturing each title is often prohibitively expensive. Thus, many movies languish in studio vaults, much to the frustration of fans. Now Warner Brothers Home Video has answered the prayers of movie lovers by launching an innovative service that allows consumers to order on-demand editions of their favorite films. You simply order the film you want (at $19.95 per title) and it will ship to you in two business days. Each film has been beautifully mastered in its original aspect ratio and is shipped in a standard DVD case with graphics from the film - exactly like those you find in retail shops. None of the titles available at the Warner Archive is available through any other commercial outlet. Among the gems you'll find on the site:

• Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze
• Darby's Rangers
• A Distant Trumpet
• The D.I.
• I Was an American Spy
• Edison the Man
• Captain Nemo and the Underwater City
• Countdown
• Mr. Lucky
• Abe Lincoln in Illinois
• Crescendo
• The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing
• and many other classic and cult films

You can also opt to purchase each film for download on your computer. For U.S orders over $60, shipping is free. Hats off to Warner Brothers for being the first major studio to make this service available. If a long revered Hollywood tradition holds true, look for every other major studio in town to follow their lead. Now if we can only get those Girl From U.N.C.L.E. episodes in the Warners pipeline!  To order click here

It will be a groovy summer for rock music fans when Warner Home Video releases a new special edition of the landmark documentary Woodstock. There will be two releases with the Blu-ray edition having some unique extras. Most exciting is the fact that the studio has unearthed a full two hours of previously unseen footage - a find that Warners says it probably unique in terms of film history. It's generally a major event if even a few minutes of a classic movie are unearthed, but to locate missing footage that equals the running time of most movies is unprecedented. For more click here

The Wall Street Journal reports that sales are booming for vintage TV series released as complete collections. Get Smart and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. have performed particularly well. In other cases, however, the studio's decision to release some series by season or half-season has drawn the ire of fans- especially when sales don't merit the release of future episodes, thus leaving collectors "stranded". The article also talks about the rise of the web site Hulu, where fans can stream entire episodes of their favorite shows. For more click here

By Lee Pfeiffer

Warner Home Video has paid tribute to the late Paul Newman by releasing a batch of his films that are making their debut on DVD. However, the real tribute to the legendary star is that they kept some of these in the vault until he passed away. Still, even mediocre Newman is most welcome and these second-rung titles afford enormous pleasures, though perhaps, not in the way the filmmakers intended. The Warners production notes that accompanied the screener of Newman's 1956 debut film The Silver Chalice are refreshingly candid and acknowledge that the film is so bad, the star famously took out an ad in the trade papers apologizing for his participation in it. That kind of ballsy move, characteristic of the man himself, may have been what prevented him from falling into oblivion (or worse, becoming the next Victor Mature.) Certainly, there isn't the slightest indication that Newman possessed the kind of star power that would see him become one of the giants of the silver screen. Yet, I can scarcely contain my enthusiasm in recommending this release to all lovers of bad movies. If Ed Wood made a Biblical film, it would have been The Silver Chalice - as this is the Ben-Hur of those dumbed-down tits-and-toga "epics" that swept theaters in the 1950s. The movie is best enjoyed in a Mystery Science Theater - like scenario, so invite your most cynical, wittiest friends over, open a few bottles of wine and sit back and enjoy the glories of a film that produces more laughs than anything the Zucker brothers ever dreamed up.

The movie casts Newman as a Greek sculptor (!) named Basil who is adopted by a Roman aristocrat, but sold into slavery after his father dies - the result of some chicanery on the part of a disreputable nobleman who wants to inherit the family fortune. Basil makes the best of his lot and gains a reputation for his sculpting skills. He also attracts an older noblewoman (Virginia Mayo), in what must have been the first MILF instance of the Biblical era. Before long, Basil is approached by those long-suffering Christians with a delicate task - sculpt a silver chalice that will hold the cup Jesus drank from during The Last Supper. In order to do so, Basil has to keep his mission secret, all the while trying to realistically depict the disciples and Christ's likenesses on the precious cup. He gets 'em all, but gosh-darn-it, he can't seem to get the inspiration for depicting The Big Guy's image. (It won't spoil the suspense to tell you that, only after becoming a better Christian, does the image of Christ finally appear before him- complete with the kind of lush studio musical orchestration that must be an omnipresent aspect of heaven.) Much is made of keeping the Jesus cup and accompanying chalice out of the hands of thieves and anarchists, but no one seems to comment on the fact that, for all the risk and subterfuge, the precious silver handiwork resembles a cheap bowling trophy. 

Most of the pleasures in The Silver Chalice derive from the famously inept production design. This may be a film about a sculptor but the most prominent chisler was Jack Warner, who seems to have afforded the production less money than he spent on cigars in a week. This is a claustrophobic film with only a few outdoor shots thrown in to alleviate the tedium. The interiors seem confined to a few set pieces including a palace in which the large bricks in the wall are drawn on with what appear to be magic markers. The streets seem to be paved with kitchen linoleum and apparently, the early Romans lived in igloo-like structures! The dialogue is a real hoot with one character extolling the virtues of the city by actually saying "There's no place like Rome." (Surprisingly, he isn't clicking ruby slippers together when he says it.) Gay viewers will be particularly amused by the not-so-subtle homo-erotic content to many scenes.  Newman walks around in more mini skirts than you'd find on a London street in 1967. The macho supporting cast is not immune from Village People-like fashions as well. In one scene, Jack Palance and Joseph Wiseman are both clad in over-the-top numbers with plunging necklines that show enough cleavage to have made Jayne Mansfield blush. (Palance is also inexplicably attired in a beehive hat that makes him look like he was channeled from a future Coneheads sketch). Even Lorne Greene is caught up in the bonanza of cliches. The future Ben Cartwright is cast as St. Peter!

It takes a truly awful movie to win a coveted Cinema Retro "must-buy" recommendation, but The Silver Chalice passes the test with flying colors. The film is devoid of any extras, which is a pity, as it would have been fascinating to see the trailer for this disaster. The film does succeed on one count: if it was made in the hope of having religious cynics become more attuned to Christ, I concede I shouted "Oh, God!" after every line of dialogue.

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Warner Home Video has recently released a series of Paul Newman titles that have not previously been available on DVD. We'll be taking a look at some of these titles, beginning with the 1964 western The Outrage.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Paul Newman and director Martin Ritt collaborated on six films of varying quality between the years 1958 and 1967, when both men were at the prime of the careers. One of their most notable misfires was The Outrage, an ambitious 1964 remake of Akira Kurosawa's classic Rashomon redefined as a western. Kurasawa's film told of the kidnapping of an innocent couple by a bandit. The woman is raped and the husband is murdered. However, as various people recall the incident, it becomes clear there are radically different versions of what happened and who was responsible for the death. The premise of remaking the story as a Hollywood production starring Newman probably seemed like a winning proposal for MGM, given the film's envelope-pushing content regarding sex. Martin Ritt rounded up an impressive array of talented people ranging from the legendary cinematographer James Wong Howe to composer Alex North and actors Laurence Harvey, Claire Bloom and Edward G. Robinson. However, it was neither a critical or financial success - though it did allow Newman to stretch his acting abilities by playing a notorious Mexican bandito. 

The film's chief asset is the stunning black and white cinematography and some spirited performances. Newman plays the villain as though he graduated from the Eli Wallach School of Banditry - his charisma and sense of humor masks a sadistic nature. He is actually quite effective in the role, with the guise of the character differing quite a bit depending upon whose version of the incident is being retold. In this case, the flashbacks take place among three men (Edward G. Robinson, William Shatner and Howard Da Silva) who are waiting in an isolated train station. Robinson is a cynical con man who goads the other two men to relate the various versions of the incident, though it becomes apparent that both may be hiding the truth for their own selfish reasons. The first time the rape/murder is played out, the scene is fairly chilling and engrossing. However, as the story unravels, the viewer sees the situation  recounted three more times, at least once in a broadly comical vein (not easy to do when the subject is rape and murder). By this point, the proceedings have become tedious and the scenario monotonous. Making matters more frustrating is the fact that certain key storylines aren't satisfactorily concluded and the determination of the principals to make this an "important" film results in it playing rather pretentiously. On the positive side, Claire Bloom is terrific as the wife, playing the difficult part as both helpless victim and sexually promiscuous temptress who initiates her own rape to humiliate her husband. As the latter, Laurence Harvey has little to do but stand bound and gagged to a tree while the storyline plays out, though he and Newman do manage to engage in an exciting and well-staged fight sequence. In supporting roles, William Shatner underplays (yes, underplays) his part and allows Da Silva and Robinson to steal the scenes he shares with them. Robinson is particularly good in an unsympathetic role as the fouled-mouthed patent medicine salesman.

The Outrage is an artistic failure, but as with any collaboration between Newman and Ritt (who would go on to make the far superior Hombre), its not without merit or interest. Warners's DVD of the film is most welcome and the transfer is outstanding, however, at least a few extras would have been appreciated. This one doesn't even boast "scene selections" from the menu which only allows "Play" as an option! - Lee Pfeiffer Click here to order discounted from Amazon.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Director Richard Attenborough's Chaplin has been released by Lionsgate as a 15th anniversary special edition. The deluxe treatment can largely be attributed to star Robert Downey Jr.'s recent remarkable comeback after a number of years in which his career appeared to be doomed due to his self-inflicted demons. The film chronicles Charles Chaplin's career from his early days in London, where he grew up in poverty, through his rise in Vaudeville and his mercurial ascension as one of the cinema's earliest superstars. Chaplin was making millions when millions meant a lot of money. The film was a critical and box-office failure, but that doesn't negate its many merits. For one, director Attenborough specializes in making leisurely paced, visually splendid films, and this is no exception. In the age of cinematic bombast, the movie has a lyrical and relaxing quality to it, and the film is enhanced considerably by impressive production design and John Barry's wonderful score. The centerpiece is Downey's superb performance as the great comedian - it's an amazing achievement, as Downey captures the Master's every nuance. Although the film explores Chaplin's weaknesses such as his penchant of becoming involved with the wrong women, the script punts when it comes to his reputation as an ill-tempered ego maniac. Marlon Brando, who worked on Chaplin's last foray into filmmaking -the disastrous A Countess From Hong Kong

- said Chaplin was a bully who specialized in humiliating his own son in front of cast and crew. (Noticeably, this entire career misstep is never mentioned in the movie.). The story is rather unimaginatively bookended by having the elderly Chaplin discuss the events of his life with the editor of his autobiography (Anthony Hopkins). The main value of these scenes is to give Downey the opportunity to play the legend as an old man, which he pulls off very convincingly.Although occasionally pedantic, the movie is always a pleasure to watch. Equally enjoyable are the abundance of extra features. In a new and refreshingly candid documentary, Attenborough frankly discusses the movie's short-comings and attributes them to compromises he had to make in order to get funding. He says its the one film he'd really like the opportunity to remake. He's equally blunt about working with Downey, who was then in the midst of his abberent drug-induced behavior. Attenborough said he had never heard of Downey until he barged into his office and did an impromptu audition that left the director mesmerized. However, Attenborough said Downey's problems made it very challenging to direct him. It also becomes clear why the script skips over Chaplin's more controversial aspects: the Chaplin family was front and center in helping to put together this special edition.There are several mini featurettes along with a never-before-seen home movie of Chaplin cruising near Catalina on his yacht. In all, the film is an achievement that falls short, but like many of Attenborough's near-misses, it stands above the work of most other directors.

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By Lee Pfeiffer

Warner Home Video has released a 30th anniversary of director Hal Ashby's Being There, based on the Jerzy Kosinski novel. The film represented Peter Sellers' last cinematic triumph and earned him an Oscar nomination. However, if you're expecting Sellers to engage in Pink Panther -style antics, this isn't your movie. Sellers gives an unusually understated performance that gives credence to the notion that sometimes less is more. The story centers on Chance, a dapper but dim-witted gardener who has been kept in complete isolation for his entire life by his benefactor, an elderly millionaire. Deprived of a social life or formal education, Chance is totally satisfied with his daily routine of presiding over an elaborate garden. His only vice is an obsession with television, which he watches without the slightest regard for a program's content. Like a parrot, he learns to mimic the actors he witnesses on the boob tube and the entire level of his intellectual capabilities is limited to statements about gardening and television. When the old man dies, Chance is evicted from the house - but is too stupid to realize the implications of his dilemma. When he is injured by a limousine belonging to heiress Shirley MacLaine, Chance is brought back to her mansion to recuperate. It turns out she is the daughter of one of America's most influential industrialists and power brokers (Melvin Douglas, in his final triumphant role which won him the Oscar for Supporting Actor.) Through a complex series of events, Douglas and the intellectual yes men in his circle mistake Chance for a great philosopher, feeling that his elementary observations have  meaning regarding the economy and political scenarios. Before long, even the President (Jack Warden) is using the hapless man as an adviser. The film hints that Chance has a political future ahead of him -despite the fact that he can't read, write or relate whatsoever to the world around him.

The notion of a total moron being considered presidential timber no longer seems as far-fetched as it did in 1979 (How accurate this notion is, depends upon your own political prejudices.) However, the film is not only hilarious, but prescient in foreseeing the day when a charming personality is all a candidate needs to rise to the top. The brilliant screenplay also takes aim at intellectuals and pseudo-intellectuals whose obsession with being considered deep thinkers allows them to read meaning into the most innocuous of statements. The film presents Peter Sellers as he had never been seen before. He rarely utters more than a few words at a time, instead relying on a gentle demeanor and disarming smile to impress those he encounters. In one hilarious scene, MacLaine tries to seduce him and mistakes his statement that "I like to watch" as a reference to a sexual fetish. In fact, he is simply referring to the cartoon playing on the TV in the bedroom. MacLaine then engages in a liberating mastubation session in front of the oblivious Chance, who is mesmerized by the TV program. Sellers' great performance is  matched by a superb supporting cast, with  Melyvn Douglas having the kind of role that every actor dreams of for a cinematic farewell. There is also yeoman work from Jack Warden and Richard Dysart. The film is a reminder that Hal Ashby was a major talent whose work is not as widely discussed as it should be. 

The special edition is somewhat meager on extras but includes a trailer and an interesting featurette in which Melvyn Douglas' grandaughter Ilena discusses her memories of visiting the set as a young girl. She also reminds us of her grandfather's long and distinguished career. It's an informative and bittersweet documentary produced by David Naylor. The Blu-ray edition also contains exclusive extras including an alternate ending and deleted scenes.  Click here to order discounted from Amazon. Click here to order Blu-ray edition.

Warner Home Video has a belated holiday gift for Sidney Poitier fans: the release of a new four DVD boxed set that includes titles never before available on the DVD format. The films contained in the set are:

Edge of the City- Never before available on home video, this 1957 classic by director Martin Ritt stars Poitier and John Cassavetes as longshoremen who team to battle corruption and racism. The film was instrumental in launching Poitier as a leading man.

Something of Value- In another film released in 1957, Poitier co-stars with Rock Hudson in another racially-charged drama set in Kenya during the Mau Mau uprisings.

A Patch of Blue - This controversial and moving 1965 film cast Poitier as a social worker who has a love affair with a blind white girl - and has to cope with the racist rants of her trailer trash mother. Poitier gets fine support from Elizabeth Hartman and Shelly Winters.

A Warm December - As one of the pioneers in bringing African American actors better roles in Hollywood, Poitier measured his success by the increasing number of films in which race was not a factor in the screenplay. His 1973 romantic comedy A Warm December was just such a film, casting Poitier as a recently widowed doctor who discovers he can find love again.The film was shot in London and affords some great time capsule-like views of the city in the early 1970s.

There are no major extras, but original trailers are included for each film.

It's been frustrating that in recent years, Poitier has virtually retired from acting and directing (most people fail to remember, he helmed a string of box-office hits). However, The Sidney Poitier Collection allows fans to relive seeing this dashing leading man at both the early stage of his career and at the peak of his popularity.

The set will be released January 27. Click here to order

Criterion continues to earn its reputation as the gold standard among DVD distributors with its new release of a special edition of the 1965 classic The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.

The acclaimed film was based on John Le Carre's first novel, which he wrote under a pseudonym because of sensitivities relating to his work for British Intelligence. Le Carre was "outed", however, and the revelation turned out to be a blessing, catapulting him to the top ranks of thriller writers. The film had a tortured history, as outlined in the special edition DVD. Director Martin Ritt had initially considered Burt Lancaster to star, with the story rewritten to make him a disgruntled member of Canadian Intelligence. Fortunately that plan fell through, as the British background to the story is essential to its effectiveness. Ultimately, Richard Burton was cast - though it necessitated that most of the film be shot in Ireland in order to accomodate the limited number of days Burton could work in England without incurring severe tax penalties. Burton resented Ritt from the start, perhaps because the director held firm in his insistence that Burton play down his tendency to be overly theatrical. The two men rarely spoke except on the set, and at one point Le Carre was brought to the set to act as a referee between them. At one crucial point, Burton walked off the set and had to be coaxed out of his dressing room. As sometimes happens during such adversarial situations, a classic film emerged and Burton received an Oscar-nominated performance. 

The film is a complex but mesmerizing Cold War thriller with Burton cast as Alec Leamas, a depressed and disgruntled field agent who has become sickened by his chosen profession. Numb to any human feeling, he leads a solitary existence while barely tolerating his superior officer (Cyril Cusack, playing the role with such dispassion it makes for a chilling impression). Leamas' cynicism is thought to be advantageous to MI6, as it might convince the Soviets that he is ready to defect. An elaborate scheme is concocted in which Leamas is allowed to be recruited by the enemy - with the ultimate objective of being brought to East Berlin where he will give disinformation designed to ruin their top spy master (Peter Van Eyck). Along the way, Leamas reluctantly recruits a British left-wing activist (Claire Bloom) as part of the scheme, feigning a romantic interest in her. The plot eventually features more twists and turns than a roller coaster and one must pay close attention or become hopelessly confused. However, the film is a mesmerizing experience - especially the sequences set behind the Iron Curtain in which Leamas finds himself giving testimony at a kangaroo trial orchestrated by his target's main rival in the KGB (a superb Oskar Werner). The finale is as surprising as it is unconventional and has a shattering emotional impact.

The film excels on all levels, from Oswald Morris' outstanding black-and-white cinematography that makes London appear as drab and uninviting as East Berlin; Anthony Harvey's editing, the screenplay by Paul Dehn and Guy Trosper;  the supporting performances including Bloom, Sam Wanamaker, Rupert Davies, Bernard Lee ("M" from the 007 films) and Michael Hordern (particularly good as an aging homosexual agent who suffers humiliation at the hands of his superior), and Sol Kaplan's sobering score.

The film was released in 1965 when the cinemas were awash with James Bond films and the endless waves of 007 "wanna-be" movies. Spy stood out from the rest of the pack due to its daring unglamorous look at the world of real life espionage - a point made by Leamas when he states that agents are generally life's losers who have failed to fit in with any normal aspect of society. The script did cause some controversy because it depicts the methods used by both the East and West indistinguishable in their brutality. Although the movie received outstanding reviews, it was only a modest box-office success, though its reputation has increased over the decades.

Criterion's 2-DVD special edition features a terrific transfer as well as some impressive extras. Cinematographer Oswald Morris (who sounds a bit like Alfred Hitchcock) gives fascinating insights into key sequences; there is a new interview with Le Carre in which he speaks candidly about the tensions on the film as well as aspects of it that have always displeased him; a somewhat dry but nevertheless informative  BBC documentary from the year 2000 in which Le Carre is interviewed at his country estate and reflects back on his entire career; a 1985 audio interview of Martin Ritt by film historian Patrick Milligan; original set design drawings and the theatrical trailer. There is also a rare 1967 British TV show in which Richard Burton is interviewed by Kenneth Tynan. It's a fascinating time capsule, with both men smoking like chimneys as the dour Burton discusses the hits and misses of his career. In a moment of great candor, he says that his main motivation is to simply get the best tables at restaurants and the other benefits that accompany being a celebrity.It was this emphasis on the shallow rewards of stardom that would ultimately largely derail Burton's career.The set also features an illustrated booklet with extensive liner notes by film critic Michael Sragow.

Bring this Spy in from the cold and make it an essential part of your video library. - Lee Pfeiffer

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Cinema Retro London correspondent Adrian Smith reports that Disney's just-released limited edition DVD of Walt Disney's 1964 classic The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh has already sold out and is commanding premium prices on the collector's circuit. The DVD contains the three-part series starring Patrick McGoohan as well as a feature film that was edited from the various episodes. We don't know if Disney has any plans to reissue the title anytime soon, though our guess is that they will - this time as a "non-limited edition" title. It's good to see that public interest hasn't waned over the decades for this Disney classic. 

Warner Brothers has released the 1951 epic Quo Vadis starring Robert Taylor and Deborah Kerr as a 2 DVD special edition. By this time in cinema history, the film had been made four times previously, but this is the first version made in the sound era. The Technicolor production epitomized MGM during its heyday, and of course carried the requisite promise that it would be the most spectacular film you'll ever see. The film never lived up to its hype and Robert Taylor remains that most puzzling of Hollywood success stories, as he was certainly among the dullest leading men of his time. Still, for those who enjoy traditional "tits and toga" epics, this one recalls a long gone era when such films had to be made by legitimate craftsmen instead of a few guys creating special effects at computer consoles. Kudos also to Warners for giving these films such first class presentations. For reviewer Glenn Erickson's take on the TCM web site click here

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The latest is the seemingly endless string of irresistible DVD collections comes from the good folks at Timeless Video, who have distinguished themselves with some first-class releases of vintage TV series. The latest is their most impressive yet: the 1950s crime series M Squad which helped groom Lee Marvin from supporting actor to leading man presence. Marvin is the stalwart Lt. Frank Ballinger, a Chicago cop who is so unrelentingly serious that he makes Jack Webb look like Richard Simmons. The series was part of the wave of crime shows that flooded the networks during this era, and M Squad was one of the best. The show ran three seasons and was compromised only by the half-hour time running time which made for some abbreviated storylines. The series is a gem in terms of the kinds of cornball cliches that have become part of our pop culture. I always assumed the Frank Drebin character played by Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun films had been inspired by Joe Friday of Dragnet. However, one glimpse at M Squad proves this series was the real inspiration. It's hard not to think of Nielsen when Marvin is rousting the bad guys. I confess to only having sampled the set, because it includes a staggering 117 episodes. The video quality varies but Timeless acknowledges it was a Herculean task to track down original film elements, so we have to be grateful that the show has been made available in its entirety. There is also a cool bonus extra: a full soundtrack CD of Stanley Wilson's great jazz score. M Squad is arresting entertainment (I can't believe I wrote that!) and you should make sure the series has a prominent place in your video library.- Lee Pfeiffer

The series is available exclusively from Timeless Media. Click here to order.

Here is the official press release:

One of the most memorable of the early television police dramas, M Squad debuted in 1957 running for three seasons on NBC.

There were many black and white crime dramas competing for viewers in the late fifties, notably Dragnet, Arrest and Trial, and Checkmate.  M Squad stands apart because of its unique combination of story, production values, musical score and a great cast portraying crime fighters getting down and dirty on the mean streets.

Lee Marvin, a decorated WW II Marine veteran of the South Pacific, where he received the Purple Heart in the Battle of Saipan, stars as Lt. Frank Ballinger, a no-nonsense Chicago plainclothes cop in the elite M Squad Division. The Squad's (M-for Murder) task is to root out organized crime and corruption in Americas Second City. Marvin's portrayal of a tough undercover officer, whose perseverance and potential for violence, but with utter cool, permeates each gritty episode, gave Marvin name recognition with the public, and did much to make him a star. He would go on to many starring roles (The Dirty Dozen, Cat Ballou) and to win a coveted Oscar for Best Actor.

Frank Ballinger's boss, Captain Grey, is played by Paul Newlan, a fine actor who brings weight and substance to the role of running the M-Squad. It is perhaps his most memorable role.

In addition to the regular cast, a who's who of television luminaries and stars-to-be made guest appearances on the show.  Among the guest stars were Angie Dickinson, Charles Bronson, Janice Rule, Leonard Nimoy, Ed Nelson, DeForest Kelley, H.M. Wynant and a young Burt Reynolds.

But it wasn't just the crisp, taut story lines and great cast that made M Squad memorable.

First, it was shot in gritty, film-noire style black and white. The excellent high contrast cinematography brings Chicago to life, with all of its easily recognizable landmarks, swanky penthouses on Lake Michigan, and the seedy darker side of the city. In fact, M Squad did for Chicago what the Naked City did for New York

Second was the musical score.

In keeping with the film noir look of the series, the producers enlisted conductor Stanley Wilson to lead the orchestra in arrangements by legendary jazz men Benny Carter, and a
young John Williams, (Star Wars). For the second season, the great jazz artist Count Basie wrote the enduring "M Squad Theme".

It was a perfect marriage of image and sound. Lee Marvin, who wrote the liner notes for the RCA Victor release of the 'Music From M Squad 'album in 1959, put it this way:

"I am…constantly amazed at the manner in which our characterizations and situations are supported, highlighted and intensified by the fine musical score…I love the great beat, the exciting solos and the clean, crisp section work of the trumpets and trombones. As I listen, my imagination paints thumbnail sketches of the Loop, Bayshore Drive, the South Side, and the other localities which set Chicago apart from other cities. It's sort of like an armchair tour of America's second largest city." Lee Marvin

The resulting television series is hard to match for its intensity and its humanity. Marvin's hard-nosed Frank Ballinger is the archetype of all the tough guy-big hearted crime fighters, from Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe and Hammett's Sam Spade, to later incarnations portrayed by Jack Nicholson and Harvey Keitel. In sum, M Squad is that rare television series that has it all. It is about time long time fans and newcomers have a chance to experience high quality DVD's of this great show.

A unique new independent film titled Kreating Karloff is winning raves with its DVD release. The film is an homage to the legendary Boris Karloff and tells of a young actor's obsession with playing the role of the iconic star in a new film biography. The movie is described as being made by Karloff fans for Karloff fans. To watch the trailer and learn more click here

The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, one of the most requested entries from Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, is coming to DVD on November 11 as a limited edition collector's set. The 1964 three-episode series starred Patrick McGoohan as Dr. Syn, a benevolent parson in 18th century England who moonlights as a notorious smuggler who divides his proceeds among the poor while simultaneously dressed incognito as his alter-ego, The Scarecrow. The show has never been released on home video, though a version of the feature film derived from the three episodes was available on VHS many years ago and today commands sky-high prices on the collector's market. Disney's 2 DVD set is pure joy for fans of the outstanding series. It contains remastered widescreen versions of the three episodes, Walt Disney's original introductions (including unseen versions in widescreen) , the feature film derived from the episodes and a new documentary that includes an interview with Patrick McGoohan. Not to be missed!

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